(ATR) Pro boxers will compete at the Olympics for the first time after the AIBA voted in favor of a proposal at its extraordinary congress on Wednesday.
Of the 88 eligible voters, 84 voted in favor with four abstentions.
"I am very happy to see the AIBA family's unity to reach this 95 percent yes. No single objections," AIBA president C.K. told reporters soon after the decision.
Wu said it was "difficult to anticipate" how many pro boxers would compete at the Rio Olympics, declining to say if it would be a handful or more than 10.
He dismissed the notion of wildcards being offered. "The IOC has no more wildcards. Everybody has to go through the qualifiers... equal to everyone."
The AIBA chief said the vote in favor was part of his vision for the future of boxing. "This is part of my masterplan, step by step, implement [developments] one by one. This result is showing we are one step forward."
"We already have professionals. But in my belief every athlete has the right to go to the Olympics."
Wu had pitched the benefits of the proposal to the congress meeting at the Royal Savoy Hotel in Lausanne before an open discussion was held ahead of the vote.
Wu will have a meeting in the next hour with IOC president Thomas Bach to communicate the news and discuss how the pro boxing plan will be implemented at the Rio Olympics. The decision is likely to be discussed at the IOC Executive Board meeting today through Friday at the Palace Hotel in the Olympic capital. Rio 2016 organisers are travelling to Lausanne to update the IOC's ruling body on preparations.
The overwhelming AIBA vote in favor amends article 13 of the federation’s statutes which states: "National federations and provisional members have the following obligations: to prohibit any person who has competed in any non-AIBA professional boxing match to register as a boxer with the national federation."
Now it will be up to the national federations to determine which boxers are eligible to be part of a national team and to register the best boxers for Rio 2016.
An AIBA spokesman tells Around the Rings that national federations will have the chance to "integrate pro boxers" in their team to participate in the final Rio 2016 Olympic qualifier, which will be held in Venezuela in July.
A total of 26 boxing places at the Games are up for grabs at that event. In Rio, 286 boxers will compete for medals at the Olympics.
Some World Series of Boxing and AIBA Pro Boxing fighters are already qualified, so the presence of some pro boxers in Rio is already certain.
Two big names in boxing have recently criticised the AIBA plan for Rio.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson last week described the proposal to get pro boxers into the Olympics as "ridiculous" and "foolish". In March, another former heavyweight champion David Haye said plans to fast-track pro boxers into the Olympics would seriously endanger fighters’ health and safety.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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